The percentage of on-line shoppers willing to provide personal
information on web sites has almost doubled over the last year –
from 26% in 1999 to 47% in 2000. However, these consumers are still
uneasy about the levels of security provided. The survey showed
that only 14% of consumers believed that current web security is
adequate, the majority being keen for increased security – even if
this means a longer identification process for the individual
shopper.
A password can also be easily forgotten and this creates an
enormous volume of customer service enquiries. The report revealed
that up to 10% of calls and e-mails to customer services involved
forgotten passwords or usernames. Others commented that it was
annoying and cumbersome to have to remember password logins,
especially when visiting a number of different sites.
Available solutions include customer authentication cards,
personal identification numbers (PIN) or a type of portable
password created by the user's credit card company, for example as
provided by Visa through the “Verified by Visa” password
system.
